Terms and Conditions

GENERAL CONDITIONS

These General Terms and Conditions are valid, accepted and approved by the Manager of ROYAL TRAVEL SOFIA Ltd. as of 01.05.2018.

These General Terms and Conditions have as their object the sale of travel packages (a combination of at least two different types of travel services for the purpose of the same trip or holiday) provided by the Tour Operator. The specific conditions of the tourist trip and the terms for its performance shall be specified in the Package Contract.

It should be borne in mind that the terms traveller, tourist, tourist product, travel agency, travel agent, tourist package, basic tourist services and additional tourist services are used within the meaning of the Tourism Act of the Republic of Bulgaria.

Booking and Enrolment:

Booking is possible by phone, email or at the office of the Tour Operator, through travel agents in the country. The reservation is considered valid after providing the data from the ID card or foreign passport (according to the chosen destination and/or tourist package), signing the contract for the tourist package and paying the deposit. If, at the time of conclusion of the Contract, the booking is in status (on enquiry), the Contract shall be deemed to have been concluded on a condition precedent, subject to an expected confirmation from the Tour Operator within 3 / three / working days, and in the event that there is no such confirmation, the Tour Operator will offer other options which the Traveller may accept or decline without penalty or compensation.

Documents required for enrolment:

For non-EU countries - a foreign passport with a validity of at least 6 months at the date of return from the trip;

For European Union countries, only an identity card is required;

For children under 18 travelling alone or with one parent - a notarised declaration from both parents that they agree to their child travelling abroad. A copy of the declaration must be submitted to the agent's office at least 5 working days before the departure date. The original declaration must be carried during the trip. In the event of non-compliance with these conditions, the agency shall not be held liable and any inconvenience or damage resulting therefrom shall be borne by the victims.

In the case of school groups, a list of the children travelling must be submitted to the office with an official stamp and signature of the principal.

The Tour Operator may modify the pre-contractual information by notifying the Traveler in a clear, understandable and visible manner prior to the conclusion of the tour package contract.

Visas:

For trips to countries that require visas for Bulgarian citizens, the Tour Operator can assist the Traveler by advising him/her and providing him/her with the necessary documents, including (hotel and/or flight reservation, voucher, bus or air tickets, insurance). At the Traveler's request and for an additional fee, the Tour Operator will prepare and submit the Traveler's documents to the appropriate Embassy where and when possible. In this case, the Traveller is obliged to provide the Tour Operator with the personal documents and data required by the Embassy and to pay the visa fees. Failure to provide the documents or to pay the fees or failure to appear at the Embassy for a personal interview, if required, shall be deemed to be a cancellation of the Trip due to the Traveler's fault.

The issue of a visa for the country concerned is the sole responsibility of the Embassy and is not guaranteed by the Tour Operator. In case of refusal by the Embassy, the visa fees paid by the Traveller will not be refunded. The amount of visa fees shall be indicated in the relevant information under Article 82 of the ITA.

Prices and payment:

Payments under this Contract shall be made by the Traveller in BGN at the exchange rate of BGN 1.958 per 1 EUR or at the BNB fixing rate for the day. In the event of an increase in the exchange rate of the US dollar /USD/ or euro /EUR/ to lev, at the official BNB rate of more than 1% (one percent), the Tour Operator reserves the right to amend the price of the Contract under the conditions described below.

Payments are accepted in cash, by debit/credit card or by bank transfer to the Tour Operator's account at Raiffeisenbank (Bulgaria) EAD, IBAN:BG61RZBB91551006765175, bic:RZBBBGSF.

The amount of the deposit is from 30% to 50% of the total package price.

For reservations for New Year, other national holidays and special offers the deposit is 50% of the total package price, unless otherwise stated in the Package Contract.

The Traveller shall pay the deposit at the time of signing the Package Contract, unless otherwise specified.

Final payment shall be made up to 30 days before the date of travel, unless otherwise stated in the Package Contract. For New Year's Eve and national holiday packages, 100% payment is due 31 days prior to departure.

Tipping: in many countries it is customary for tourists to tip drivers and local guides and piccolos at the end of the tour. The amount of the tip is usually between EUR 1 and EUR 5 per tourist per day.

Early bookings are valid subject to booking and payments up to 100% made according to the terms, conditions and method of payment mentioned in the Package Contract.

Rights and obligations of the parties:

Obligations of the Tour Operator.

The Tour Operator undertakes to provide, in accordance with the terms of this Contract, the Tour Services paid for by the Traveller.

The Tour Operator undertakes to provide the Traveller with compulsory medical expenses insurance for sickness and accident for trips outside the country in accordance with the standard terms and conditions of the insurance companies it represents, providing the original insurance policy to the Traveller prior to the commencement of the trip in the event that the Traveller purchases a package tour. Medical expenses in case of sickness and accident insurance may only be waived if the Traveller provides the Tour Operator with a long-term insurance policy covering the Traveller's medical expenses in case of sickness and accident, the validity period of which also covers the period of the package travel contract.

The Tour Operator reserves the right to unilaterally change provisions other than the price in the Package Contract, provided that the change is insignificant. In such cases the Tour Operator shall inform the Traveller in a clear, understandable and visible manner on a durable medium.

Rights of the Tour Operator.

The Tour Operator shall have the right to withdraw from the Contract, without incurring any liability, if the Traveller fails to make payments within the established time limits and thus shows bad faith in the performance of his/her obligations. The fact of payment shall be evidenced by a duly executed document. If the Traveller has paid a deposit but has not made the payments up to the full price of the trip within the established time limits, he/she shall be deemed to have abandoned the trip and the deposit shall not be refunded. In the event that the Traveller has paid the deposit and/or has made additional payments up to the full price, but due to the fault of the Tour Operator the conclusion and execution of the contract does not take place, the amounts actually paid by the Traveller up to that point shall be returned to him/her.

The Tour Operator reserves the right to change the Carrier, without changing the total price with another one, in the event of reasons that make it impossible or impractical for the Carrier named in the Contract to fulfil its obligations.

The Tour Operator has the right to replace the hotel with one of the same or higher category, without a change in the total price paid by the Traveller, in cases of duplicate booking, closure of the hotel concerned or last minute unwillingness of the hotel to accept the tourists.

The order and method of price recalculation in these cases shall be: the price shall be increased only by the actual increase of the component that influenced the price change. The tour operator reserves the right to require a supplementary payment from the customer up to the actual price of the air ticket and with 100% of the trip already paid.

The Tour Operator shall notify the Traveler in a clear and understandable manner about it, together with the justification for the increase and calculations provided on a durable medium, no later than 20 days before the start of the execution of the tour package.

In accordance with the requirements of Art. 97 of the Travel Act, the Tour Operator has taken out the Tour Operator's Liability Insurance, Insurance Policy No. 03700100004322 dated 15.02.2023 valid from 01.03.2023 to 29.02.2024 of Euroins AD, with registered office and registered address in the city of Vilnius. Sofia, Hristofor Columbus Blvd. №43.

Obligations of the Traveller.

For trips outside Bulgaria, to provide the necessary personal documents (including a foreign passport) in accordance with the laws of the country visited and of the Republic of Bulgaria. Bulgaria.

If the minor is under 18 years of age and will be travelling abroad with his/her own passport or a valid identity card, where possible, a notarised declaration from both parents that they agree to travel to the country on the specified date should be provided (if the minor is travelling with one of his/her parents, it is necessary for him/her to have notarised consent from the other parent).

Pay in full and within the time limits set out in this Contract the cost of the trip.

Comply with the laws of the country to which he/she is travelling.

Where he/she intends to travel to and stay in countries where there is an increased risk of infectious diseases, he/she must undergo appropriate prophylaxis in accordance with international medical requirements.

Appropriate physical conditioning is required for some programmes. You may therefore be required to prove your medical condition before departure.

If a tourist with allergies is required to comply with conditions, this must be done in writing in the OTHER section of the package contract. If these can be met the tour operator will confirm this in writing or cancel the trip without penalty. This requirement can only be made initially when the contract is concluded.

In the case of travel during pregnancy, written confirmation from a doctor that the person concerned is fit to travel for the relevant period and programme is required.

Rights of the Traveller.

Within a reasonable time, but not less than 15 days prior to the commencement of the tour package, to assign his/her rights and obligations under this Contract to a third party who meets all requirements for the trip. In order to exercise this right, the Traveller must send notice to the Tour Operator in a durable medium. In this case, both the Transferor and the person to whom the Package Contract is transferred shall be jointly and severally liable to the Tour Operator for payment of the total cost of the Trip and any additional charges, levies or other incidental expenses resulting from the transfer of which the Tour Operator shall inform the Transferor. The person to whom the contract is transferred declares on the same that he accepts the transfer and fully agrees to the terms of the contract and its annexes and that he is familiar with the information about the trip before accepting the transfer. The person to whom the contract is assigned declares on the contract that he assigns all rights and obligations under it. The traveller is aware that there is an objective impossibility to transfer the package contract when, due to the requirements of the carriers or the accommodation, it is impossible to change the name.

To contact at any time "Royal Travel Sofia" Ltd, with registered office and management address in. Sofia, 67A Maria Louisa Blvd., ground floor, telephone +359899993083, e-mail office@royaltravelbg.com, to seek assistance in case of difficulty or to lodge a complaint in connection with an identified discrepancy in the course of the implementation of the tourist package.

Responsibility of the Parties.

Where any of the tour services do not conform to the tour package as stipulated in the contract, the Tour Operator shall remedy the non-conformity, except where:

- this is not possible;

- it involves disproportionate costs in view of the extent of the non-conformity and the value of the tourist services concerned;

Where a substantial part of the travel services cannot be performed as provided for in the package contract, the Tour Operator shall offer the Traveller, without additional cost to the Traveller, other suitable travel services of possibly the same or higher quality than those specified in the contract to continue the performance of the package contract, including where the return of the Traveller to the point of departure of the tour is not provided as agreed.

The upper limit of the liability of the Tour Operator for damages caused to the Traveller as a result of non-performance or improper performance of the contract is the minimum possible in relation to Article 91 (5) of the TC.

Where the liability of the Tour Operator's contractors for damages caused by the non-performance or inadequate performance of services is limited by international treaties, the liability of the Tour Operator shall be within such limits.

The Tour Operator shall be entitled to terminate the Package Contract by cancelling the Tour and to reimburse the Traveller in full for all payments made for the Package without further compensation where:

the number of participants recruited for the package is less than the minimum number specified in the Package Contract, and the Tour Operator has notified the Traveller of the termination of the contract within the following time limits:

at least 20 days before the commencement of the tour package - in the case of trips lasting more than 6 days;

at least 7 days prior to the start of the tour package in the case of journeys lasting from two to 6 days;

at least 48 hours before the start of the package, in the case of journeys of less than two days' duration; or

the Tour Operator is prevented from performing the contract due to force majeure and extraordinary circumstances and has notified the Traveller of the termination of the contract without undue delay before the commencement of the performance of the tour package.

In these cases the Tour Operator shall not be liable for the non-performance of the Contract by returning to the Traveller all amounts paid, excluding that part of them for the actual costs incurred (insurance paid, penalty for returned tickets, visa fees, etc.). The actual expenses incurred shall be certified by duly executed documents.

The tour operator shall not be liable for compensation when it proves that the non-compliance of the services provided with the package contract is due to:

- The Traveller;

- the refusal of the authorised authorities to issue a visa to the Traveller;

- the Traveler not being allowed by customs and border authorities to leave Bulgaria or to enter the country of travel due to lack of duly executed documents or offences committed;

- A third party unrelated to the provision of the travel services included in the travel package contract and not foreseeable or preventable;

- force majeure and exceptional circumstances;

In the event of a circumstance referred to in the preceding clause, the Tour Operator shall be entitled to withdraw from the performance of its obligations under this Contract and in such event the Traveller shall not be entitled to compensation for any loss or possible loss, loss of profit and/or other damage suffered.

Where before the commencement of the execution of the tourist package the Tour Operator is forced to change substantially any of the main characteristics of the tourist services under Art. 1(1) of the Tourism Act or cannot fulfil any of the specific requirements under Art. 1(1) of the Tourism Act, or proposes an increase in the price of the package of more than 8%, the Tour Operator shall communicate the relevant change to the traveller without undue delay in a clear, comprehensible and visible manner on a durable medium. The Traveller is obliged to notify the Tour Operator of his/her decision regarding the changes made within 3 days after receipt of the notification from the Tour Operator, but no later than 7 /seven/ working days before the start date of the trip. In the event that the Traveller fails to provide a response to the Tour Operator within the said period, the Traveller shall be deemed to have agreed and accepted the proposed changes.

In the event that the Traveller does not accept the changes, the Tour Operator shall offer the Traveller another trip on the same or better terms. If the Traveller does not accept the offer, he/she may withdraw from the Contract without penalty or compensation and the Tour Operator shall reimburse him/her the amounts paid under the Contract within 14 days from the date of receipt of the notice of withdrawal. Replacement of the means of transport /plane, bus/, hotel or catering and entertainment establishment with another of the same or higher category or class without change of price shall not be considered as a change of the main feature of the Contract.

The Traveller declares that the telephone, fax and e-mail numbers indicated by him/her in the Contract can actually be used by the Tour Operator if necessary.

Special requirements:

It is necessary to inform us of any special requirements you may have prior to entering into a Tour Package Contract so that we can respond to them. We may have to incur costs to implement your special requests, and for some of them you may have to pay an additional price, either in advance or on the spot.

The tour operator complies with the requirements of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 05.07.2006 on the rights of disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility when travelling by air, and the CUSTOMER of the package contract is obliged to notify the agency in writing.

Accommodation:

Tourists shall be accommodated in hotels of category 5* to 2*, which is specified specifically for each program. The category of hotels is determined according to local standard but varies from country to country. Check-in at hotels on arrival is after 14.00 - 15.00 and check-out is after 10.00 - 12.00 on the day of departure and are dependent on the specific policies of the chosen hotel. The Tour Operator may have notified the Traveller in advance of another earlier departure time, which the Traveller must comply with.

The traveller should note that no services are available in the hotels before check-in or after check-out, according to the advertised hours, or they are available at an additional charge.

When three people are accommodated in a triple room, the standard three beds are not guaranteed, as the third person receives a discounted rate.

If the tourist is travelling alone and wishes to be accommodated in a single room, he/she pays the difference in the room rate.

In hotels it is necessary to observe silence, cleanliness, not to leave food residues and bottles. When using the mini bar, telephone or pay video channel, these services are charged extra at the reception before leaving the hotel.

The tour operator is not responsible for lost or forgotten valuables, money and documents left in the hotel room.

For buffet meals, including breakfast, it is not allowed to take food outside the hotel restaurant. Failure to comply with this requirement will result in fines.

For half-board excursions, dinner is served in the restaurant of the hotel where the tourists are staying or in its immediate vicinity.

Drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) at breakfast, lunch or dinner are charged extra unless specifically stated to be included in the price. In some establishments, drinks are offered without the customer having ordered them, after which a bill is provided.

Accommodations on the 1st floor or higher are guaranteed only upon prior reservation, after additional payment and explicit confirmation in writing by the tour operator.

Sea/lake/park/garden/pool/ or other view rooms are guaranteed subject to availability only after prior payment by the customer and confirmation by the tour operator.

Internet access with unlimited limit is offered subject to technical possibility of the hotel and prior payment by the customer and confirmation by the tour operator accordingly.

Transport and luggage:

All program prices include international economy class flights. All domestic flights are included in the price of your excursion/holiday unless otherwise stated.

Flight times will be advised upon booking. Changes to flight times are possible in certain circumstances. When you book an excursion, your confirmation will contain flight details, which are subject to change. The Agency is not responsible for any changes to the flight schedule made by the airline after the booking has been made. Once a change to the flight schedule has occurred, the agency is obliged to notify you promptly and this is not grounds for cancellation.

Flight delays are possible, both prior to departure and en route to the program departure point or return trip, for a variety of reasons such as inclement weather, technical issues, last-minute flight schedule changes, safety issues or others. Each airline has a different policy for such situations depending on the delay. Most give out food and beverage vouchers, provide accommodation for their passengers in case of major delays.

You must report to the airport for check-in at least 2 hours before the flight time noted on your ticket. Many airports do not broadcast voice messages and you need to monitor computer boards for directions. In the event of a flight delay or cancellation, the tourist should notify the tour operator immediately in order to retain the maximum number of elements of the agreed package.

Maximum baggage weight requirements are in effect for each airline as stated in each program. Prepare your luggage in a compact condition. In the event of a change to the maximum baggage allowance for a particular airline, the agency will notify you in due course. Such change cannot be a reason for cancellation of travel.

For tours operated by ***/**** coaches - equipped with air conditioning, video system, mini bar, refrigerator, hot drinks machine/ licensed for overseas travel. Accommodation on the buses is made according to the list in accordance with the order of registration for the excursion.

No smoking in the vehicle during the journey and compliance with hygiene and safety regulations is required.

Maximum weight requirements apply to each vehicle. As standard, 20 kg is allowed for the boot and 5 kg for hand luggage. Prepare your luggage in a compact condition.

Cancellations and penalties

In the event of cancellation of the trip and termination of the contract by the Traveler, regardless of the reasons, the Tour Operator will charge the following cancellation fees:

1. for group air tours in UAE and Jordan, Lebanon, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, China, Japan, USA, Mexico, Cuba, as well as for Mediterranean cruises with a guide in Bulgarian language: from the day following the day of booking until 46 days before the date of departure - 35% of the basic price of the tour; from 45 days until the day of departure - 100% of the total price of the tour.

2. for group air tours with a guide in Bulgarian language in China, Hong Kong and Macao, Vietnam, Cambodia, Mexico, Dubai and New Zealand and Australia: from the day following the day of booking until 91 days before the date of departure - 35% of the basic price of the tour; from 90 days until 61 days before the date of departure - 50% of the total price of the tour; from 60 days until the day of departure - 100% of the total price of the tour package.

3. for group air trips to EU countries, Switzerland, Norway, Russia, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Israel and Morocco; group air holidays to Spain, Italy and Portugal: from the day following the day of booking until 31 days before the date of departure - 50% of the base price of the trip, from 30 days until the day of departure - 100% of the total price of the trip.

4. for individual air tours and/or holidays: from the day following the day of booking until the day of ticket issue, but not later than 91 days before the date of departure - 20% of the basic price of the excursion; from the 90th day until the day of ticket issue - 35% of the basic price of the excursion; from the day of issue of the air ticket until 46 days before the date of departure - 50% of the total price of the excursion + the cost of the air ticket and airport taxes; from 45 days until the day of departure - 100% of the total price of the excursion including the cost of the air ticket and airport taxes.

5. in case of cancellation of air ticket the penalty is 100%.

The above penalties apply unless otherwise stated in the specific programme.

6. Time limit within which the consumer must notify the agency that he/she is assigning his/her travel to a third party: from the day following the day of booking until the day of ticket issue, but no later than 91 days before the date of departure - without penalty if the requested accommodation is not changed. A change of accommodation or assignment to a third party after the 90th day shall be deemed a cancellation and the cancellation penalties specified shall apply.

7. from 14 days prior to the date of travel or no-show - 100% of the total cost of the trip.

Disputes and claims.

The tour operator is fully responsible for the quality of all travel services included in the program.

All disputes regarding the performance of this Contract will be settled by mutual agreement of the parties. In case no agreement can be reached, they will be referred to a competent Bulgarian court.

In cases of change of the time of performance or content of services which are performed by third parties and are described on special documents for their performance - air tickets, ferry tickets, bus tickets on regular bus lines, railway tickets, the Tour Operator shall cooperate in order to preserve the maximum part of the tourist program. In such cases, the relationship with the client is based on the specific conditions described in the transport documents.

In the event that during the trip the facts of non-fulfillment or inaccurate fulfillment of the terms of the Package Contract are established, the Traveler is obliged to immediately notify the Service Provider and the Tour Operator in order to take timely measures that satisfy all parties concerned.

In the event that the Traveller's claims relating to the quality of the service provided cannot be satisfied on the spot during the provision of the service, the Traveller shall have the right to submit a duly formulated claim to the Tour Operator, in writing or orally within 14 days of his/her return, at the offices of the Tour Operator. The Traveller is obliged to provide a protocol (claim) signed by a representative of the host tour operator, the administration of the establishment providing the tourist service and by himself. The Tour Operator shall notify the Traveller of its response within 30 days after the complaint and the report have been submitted.

In the event that the Traveller himself cancels the tour during its duration, he shall not be entitled to claim any refund. In this case, the Traveller shall arrange his/her own return.

The Tour Operator shall not be liable for any services requested and paid for during the tour itself, whether or not the Tour Guide assists in the provision of the service.

Services not consumed through no fault of the tourist are not compensable, not refundable and not claimable by the tourist.

The tour operator is not liable: in case of stolen, lost or forgotten property and documents of the tourists; in case of claim of services chosen by the tourists during the trip itself; in case of violation of the laws of the respective country by the tourists, regardless of whether they are familiar with them or not; in case of accidents and damages to hotels, public facilities, vehicles or third parties by the tourist, who bears full material and moral responsibility, which is established on the spot.

The tour operator shall not be liable to the tourist in the event that, due to alcohol or drug intoxication, the tourist impedes the execution of the programme. The tour operator shall not be liable and shall not owe any compensation or penalty if, due to hooliganism on the part of the tourist, the agency has refused him/her services or has had to remove him/her entirely from the tourist programme, and this shall be documented by a report from officials or other tourists present on the spot.

The tour operator shall not be liable to the tourist in case of loss of personal luggage, documents, money and valuables, including those left in the hotel room. In such cases, the tour guide and the agency shall assist the victim to the extent that the tour programme of the entire group is not disrupted. All costs of these actions shall be borne by the victim.

The tour operator shall not be liable to the tourist in case his/her health deteriorates during the trip and he/she falls ill, including in case this requires hospital treatment. The Agency's liability shall consist in the provision of travel assistance insurance abroad with an appropriate limit for accidents, rescue costs and medical expenses.

In the event that the reasons for non-fulfilment of a particular element of the programme have not been resolved during the excursion itself, the tourist has the right to lodge a claim within 14 days of the non-compliance being established.

Claims shall be considered within 30 (thirty) days of receipt.

"Royal Travel Sofia" Ltd. offers, for an additional fee, trip cancellation insurance. In case the Port User wishes to take out such an insurance, he/she must declare it upon booking. General terms and conditions regarding the insurance can be found on the website: royaltravel.bg